Petunia Plant Named &#39;Flortunbluve&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Flortunbluve’, characterized by its light violet-colored flowers having dark violet-colored venation, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact, semi-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/125,394 filed Jan. 20, 2015.

LATIN NAME OF GENUS AND SPECIES OF PLANT CLAIMED

Petunia×hybrida

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Flortunbluve’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Flortunbluve’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inQuedlinburg, Germany during August 2007. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of Petunia cultivars with single-typeflowers, unique flower coloration and patterns, and compact,semi-upright growth habit.

The new Petunia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female(seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Petunia×hybridabreeding selection coded 8173-1, not patented, characterized by itswhite-colored flowers having medium violet-colored venation, mediumgreen-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, semi-upright growthhabit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietaryPetunia×hybrida breeding selection coded 3422-1, not patented,characterized by its white-colored flowers having medium violet-coloredvenation, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous,semi-upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selectedas a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above statedcross-pollination during August 2008 in a controlled environment inQuedlinburg, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceAugust 2008 in Quedlinburg, Germany; Arroyo Grande, Calif.; and WestChicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true totype with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixedand retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Flortunbluve’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Petunia plant:

1. Light violet-colored flowers having dark violet-colored venation;

2. Medium green-colored foliage; and

3. Moderately vigorous, compact, semi-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female and maleparents primarily in intensity of flower venation color.

Of the many commercially available Petunia cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is POTUNIA Piccola Blue Ice‘Duepotpiblic’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,810. However, in side by sidecomparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of‘Duepotpiblic’ in at least the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new cultivar have larger leaves than plants of‘Duepotpiblic’; and

2. Plants of the new cultivar have a larger corolla diameter than plantsof ‘Duepotpiblic’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Flortunbluve’.The plants were grown in 4-inch pots for 4 weeks in a greenhouse in WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Flortunbluve’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Flortunbluve’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in April 2015 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouseunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4-inch pots for 5 weeksutilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures weremaintained at approximately 66° F. to 70° F. (19° C. to 21° C.) duringthe day and approximately 58° F. to 62° F. (14° C. to 17° C.) during thenight. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandleswere maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Flortunbluve.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding            selection coded 8173-1, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding selection            coded 3422-1, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            compact, semi-upright.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 16.0 cm. Width: Approximately 55.0 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching improves basal            branching. Quantity of main branches per plant:            Approximately 3.        -   Branch.—Strength: Moderate. Length: Approximately 24.0 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 2.5 cm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent            with a mixture of long and short hairs. Gland color:            Colorless. Color of young and mature stems: 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:            Approximately 14. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.            Arrangement on flowering stem: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Shape: Ovate to            elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 6.2 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            5.7 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely            glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color of upper            surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with venation of            146D to indistinguishable. Color of lower surface of young            and mature foliage: Closest to 138B with venation of 146D to            indistinguishable.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Width: Approximately            4.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely glandular pubescent with a mixture            of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color:            146D.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Flortunbluve’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            10 to 12 days.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Simple, salverform. Quantity per            plant: Approximately 11. Fragrance: None detected.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per            plant: Approximately 10.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length:            Approximately 3.7 cm. Diameter at apex: Approximately            7.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture:            Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture of long and short            hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color of petals: 145D with            venation of N77A. Color of tube: 145B with venation of

N77A.

-   -   -   Corolla.—Diameter: Approximately 6.7 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused to form a tube. Shape: Obovate.            Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire, slightly wavy. Apex:            Acute. Length from tube: Approximately 3.4 to 3.5 cm. Length            of free portion: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width: Approximately            3.4 cm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower            surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent. Gland color:            Colorless. Color of upper surface when first open: 85A with            heavy venation of close to 86A. Color of lower surface when            first open: 85C to 85D with venation of 86B and midveins of            N77A. Color of upper surface when fully open: 85A to 85B            with heavy venation of close to 86A. Color of lower surface            when fully open: 85C to 85D with venation of 86B to 86C and            midveins of N77A.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Diameter at            distal end: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter at proximal end:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.            Texture of outer surface: Densely glandular pubescent with a            mixture of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless.            Color of inner surface: 85A to 85B with venation of close to            86A and N186A. Color of outer surface: 79D with venation of            N77A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused at base. Shape:            Linear. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Width:            Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:            Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color            of upper surface: 137A. Color of lower surface: 137B            transitioning to 144B at base.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Acute angle to            stem. Length: Approximately 3.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately            2.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture            of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color: 144A            often tinted with 187B from sun.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5,            basifixed. Stamen length: Approximately 2.3 cm. Filament            length of fixed portion: Approximately 9.0 mm. Filament            color: NN155A. Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther length:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 161D. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: 155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1            per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 2.4 cm. Stigma            shape: Funnel. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma            color: 146A with funnel portion of 79C. Style length:            Approximately 1.9 cm. Style color: 145C. Ovary length:            Approximately 4.0 mm. Ovary color: 144B.

-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.

-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Petunia has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plantnamed ‘Flortunbluve’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.